- - New York Times Bestselling Epic Romantasy Book Is Poised to Be Huge in 2026

Nina DerwinJanuary 17, 2026 at 11:11 AM

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Readers, rejoice! A brand-new, epic romantasy novel is slowly but surely on its way to becoming the Hunger Games or Fourth Wing of 2026.

We Who Will Die is the latest release— and instant New York Times bestseller— from author Stacia Stark, and if you've yet to see it everywhere, that's likely about to change. The novel, which is the first in a trilogy, was the December Book of the Month selection and is starting to pick up steam among readers and industry tastemakers alike.

Stacia Stark built a loyal following within the fantasy and romance communities with her Kingdom of Lies and Deals With Demons series, but We Who Will Die marks a shift from a niche audience into the mainstream. Though it was just released on Dec. 15, 2025, fans are already chomping at the bit for the next installment in this exciting new series.

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We Who Will Die is the first book in Stacia Stark's Empire of Blood series, a romantasy trilogy set in a Roman-inspired kingdom ruled by merciless vampires. It follows Arvelle, a young woman who vows to kill her kingdom's emperor in order to save her younger brothers' lives. To do this, Arvelle must enter the Sundering, a gladiator-style arena where she must fight to survive, ultimately become part of the emperor's elite guard, and find a way to fulfill her vow. But Arvelle ends up crossing paths with the emperor's primary guardsman, who turns out to be an old love interest who stirs up complicated feeling and whose alliance becomes a matter of life or death.

"Arvelle walked into my mind when I considered what it must be like to lose someone you love—and believe you’re responsible for their death," said Stark in a recent interview. "I wanted to write about someone who forces herself to get up each morning and keep fighting for the people who depend on her, despite the weight of her loss."

Grounded and complex characters combine with magical element, making We Who Will Die an enthralling slow-burn romance that's impossible to put down. Fans of the Hunger Games, Powerless and Fourth Wing will immediately find that Stark's new series blends all of best parts of those beloved romantasy worlds.

This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”